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Bunny with cataracts has $4,000 surgery, and might have more
By Connie Bloom Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Tuesday, Aug 07, 2007
Harry is royalty, no doubt about it, but he doesn't live in England.
And unlike his princely namesake on the other side of the pond, this guy has eye-popping ears and a racing stripe across his hind end.
''We found him,'' said Donna Jasany of Westlake, mother to the lop-earred rabbit. ''He just hopped up to the neighbor's yard about six years ago and needed a home, so we took him in.''
While Jasany, 54, didn't have to pay the usual pet adoption fee for this free-range rabbit, the hare ended up costing $4,000 anyway.
She explains that Harry began bumping into things.
''He had eye surgery last year,'' she said.
And like scores of other pet owners these days, Jasany is more than willing to bankroll her pet passion.
BusinessWeek estimates that Americans spend $41 billion a year on their pets, more than the gross domestic product of all but 64 countries in the world. This is double the amount that Americans spent on pets a decade ago.
Bob Vetere, president of the American Pet Products Manufacturer's Association, said commerce is happy to oblige the country's 71.1 million pet households. Pet owners want more and are getting it.
''Wherever you are, people have tended to humanize pets, give them a higher status than ever before,'' Vetere said. ''People are no longer satisfied to reward pets in pet terms. They have to reward them in human terms and it costs more to reward humans than pets. . . . My niece spent $10,000 on hip replacement surgery for her dog.''
Among the more bizarre extravagances: Neuticles, prosthetic testicles for neutered dogs a quarter million of those were sold last year. Some have even bought braces for crooked pet teeth and liposuction.
Medical corridor
None of this is a secret to lop-earred Harry or the staff of Eye Care for Animals, a year-old veterinary ophthalmology practice based in the emerging medical corridor of Copley. Yes, Copley.
Before Harry knew it, he was peering into the business end of Mark Bobofchak's fancy magnifying glass. The doc confirmed the hare had cataracts.
''Cataracts means the lens is no longer crystal clear,'' said Bobofchak, who moved to Copley when the practice opened.
Bobofchak clucked his tongue to get Harry's attention while he peered deeply into the orbs above the constantly twitching nose.
''It's looking very good,'' he said of Harry's left eye, cautioning that eye surgery usually has a positive outcome but is not without its risks for bunnies, in particular, who may respond to anesthesia unpredictably. Unlike cats and dogs, rabbits can't be incubated should trouble occur.
Eye Care for Animals, based in Scottsdale, Ariz., has ridden the wave of the expansive pet economy, responding to consumer demand. It has expanded to 25 other facilities around the country. Its vets treat not only private clients, but also zoo residents and wildlife.
''We have over 1,800 clients in our database,'' said registered technician June Boyles, referring to the Copley practice. ''All we do are eyes. We see a lot of things regular doctors may not see or have experience with. We work on a referral basis and work hand in hand with veterinarians.''
Veterinary ophthalmologists specialize in treating a wide variety of ocular problems, including glaucoma, dry eyes, retinal diseases, severe injuries, cancer of the eye and even cosmetic conditions, such as cherry eye. They may be able to treat or slow the progression of some genetic eye diseases.
''We see a fair number of cataracts, especially in dogs and cats,'' Boyles said.
The tab for Harry's surgery, just under $4,000, covers a lot of territory, including the initial and follow-up exams, pretesting, retina testing, IV catheters, monitoring, the labors of both ophthalmologists and technicians, medications and anesthesia.
Lens replaced
Jasany's heart broke last year when she noticed Harry bumping into the furniture. He went under the knife in October to repair his left eye by aspirating the lens, Bobofchak said.
In cats and dogs, he can replace the original lens with an artificial one for a lasting result, but no one has made replacement lenses for rabbits yet.
''There are not a lot of rabbit owners who are going to do cataract surgery,'' the vet said.
Harry is navigating quite nicely now, even though he remains blind on his right side. The downside is that the cataract could grow back, and Harry will forever need eye drops.
Cost aside, Jasany is considering having Harry's other eye repaired, but the vet is advising caution.
''If he's getting around and doing well, you may not need to,'' he said.
But Jasany wants to improve the quality of life for her 6-pound fluff ball with big floppy feet the size of footballs and dramatically draped ears.
Jasany and her husband, Dennis, hand-feed him little bits of fresh parsley, strawberries, bananas and timothy hay.
She said he is no bother, really, because he used the litter box as soon as it was presented. He likes to nestle in his mom's lap while she sips coffee and reads the newspaper.
Prince Harry never had it this good.
You can reach Connie Bloom at 330-996-3568 or e-mail cbloom@thebeaconjournal.com.
Harry is royalty, no doubt about it, but he doesn't live in England.
Get the full article here.
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